History of the Plague in London

by Daniel Defoe

have chosen, etc.

  [336] See Rev. vi. 8.

  [337] Moved away (into the country).

  [338] The duties of headboroughs differed little from those of theconstables. The title is now obsolete.

  [339] Count.

  [340] "Must." In this sense common in Chaucer. The past tense, "should,"retains something of this force. Compare the German _sollen_.

  [341] Otherwise known as _theriac_ (from the Greek [Greek: theriakos],"pertaining to a wild beast," since it was supposed to be an antidotefor poisonous bites). This medicine was compounded of sixty or seventydrugs, and was mixed with honey.

  [342] Supply "died."

  [343] Supply "of."

  [344] Substitute "which."

  [345] Those.

  [346] A corruption of "benzoin," a resinous juice obtained from a treethat flourishes in Siam and the Malay Archipelago. When heated, it givesoff a pleasant odor. It is one of the ingredients used in court-plaster.

  [347] This word should be omitted.

  [348] The "press gang" was a naval detachment under the command of anofficer, empowered to seize men and carry them off for service onmen-of-war.

  [349] Off Lowestoft, in 1665. Though the Dutch were beaten, they madegood their retreat, and heavily defeated the English the next year inthe battle of The Downs.

  [350] See Ps. lx. 11; cviii. 12.

  [351] Were.

  [352] See Exod. xiv., xv., and xvi. 1-3.

  [353] "H.F." is of course fictitious.